Weekend of Holidays: Lunar New Year

Happy Year of the Tiger!

Although I am not very culturally Chinese, I love to make traditional Lunar New Year foods and spend some time with the family. Every year, we make Rice Cake and Dumpling Soup (Duk Mandoo Guk), since my spouse is Korean. It is a very simple recipe, and even better with handmade dumplings (instead of store-bought frozen), and all of these ingredients can be purchased at your local Asian grocery store. 

Rice Cake Dumpling Soup

Step 1 - Make Dumpling Filling

INGREDIENTS

Mix the following in a bowl, cover and refrigerate for an hour (careful not to over mix)

1 pound ground pork (best if ground yourself)

2 cups finely chopped napa cabbage (about small one head)

2 sprigs green onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup broth (chicken or beef)

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon cooking wine (Shao Hsing) or sherry

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon ginger powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon white pepper

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Step 2: Assemble Dumplings

INGREDIENTS

1 package fresh round dumpling wrappers

Bowl of water

Marinated pork filling

DIRECTIONS

Place wrapper in the palm of your hand and place a two teaspoon mound of filling in the center. Put water on half of the edge of the circle. Fold in half to create the half moon shape and seal. A butter knife works well to apply the mixture as well as the water. Place on a baking sheet or plate lined with parchment or wax paper. Place dumplings in refrigerator for an hour to set before cooking. You can also place them in freezer bags and freeze for later use.

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Step 3: Make Soup and Boil Dumplings

INGREDIENTS

1/2 pound beef short rib, sliced in thin strips

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 egg, beaten

1 bunch green onion, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

8 cups water or beef broth

1 package sliced rice cake

1 piece dried kelp

salt and pepper to taste

Toppings: dried toasted seaweed, half the sliced green onion from above

DIRECTIONS

Marinate beef strips in soy sauce and sesame oil for 30 minutes. Soak rice cake in a large bowl of water for 30 minutes, drain.

Boil Dumplings: In a stockpot, bring water to a boil; add a good amount of salt. Drop dumplings and boil for about 10 minutes. Drain and set cooked dumplings aside.

Make Soup: In another large stockpot, heat oil and saute marinated beef and garlic until browned. Add water or beef broth and bring to a boil. Turn down to medium, add the dried kelp piece and half the green onion and boil for another 10 minutes. Add the drained rice cake and check often for consistency (over cooking causes a really gooey rice cake). Stir in the beaten egg and simmer until cooked. Season with salt and pepper. Serve by placing cooked dumplings in each bowl and pouring hot soup over, top with seaweed and green onion.

Tea Eggs

Not sure if these are traditional New Years food, but I read somewhere that eggs bring good luck in fertility. Many recipes I have found require boiling further than the hard-cooked stage, which creates the nasty green ring around the yolk. I figured out a better way of making these without getting that ring, by having both eggs and seeping liquid cooled before uniting. These eggs aren't sold at your local 7-Elevens like in Taiwan, but you can make these healthy, tasty snacks easily in your own home!

INGREDIENTS

Fresh organic eggs

Filtered water

3 tablespoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon Chinese five spice powder

1 star anise

2 tea bags, plain black or pu-erh

1 tablespoon soy sauce

DIRECTIONS

Place eggs in a single layer on a saucepan or pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and then turn off the heat. Let sit for 15 minutes, or longer until eggs reach the hard cooked stage (you'll have to cut one open to test). When ready, use a slotted spoon and place eggs into a bowl of ice water until cooled. Meanwhile, in the same pot, place the same amount of water, tea bags, star anise, five spice powder, soy sauce and salt and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let cool completely. Use the back of a heavy spoon to crack the shells of the cooled eggs and place gently into the cooled tea mixture. (Do not put cooled eggs in warm liquid - it will result in all kinds of strange gooey yolks!) Refrigerate overnight. When peeled, the eggs should have a nice marbled design from seeping in the tea mixture.